ions,"thekingsaid."Yourpalaceisatruewonder.Myhouselookslikeahutcomparedwithit.Congratulations!Butwasityourideatoputupthewords:Moneycandoeverything?"
Theprincerealizedthatmaybehehadgonetoofar.
"Yesitwas,"heanswered,"butifYourMajestydoesntlikeit,Icaneasilyhavethelettersstrippedoff."
"Oh,no,Iwouldntthinkofhavingyoudothat.Imerelywantedtohearfromyourownlipswhatyoumeantbysuchastatement.Forinstance,doyouthinkthat,withyourmoney,youcouldhavemeassassinated?"
Theprincerealizedhehadgothimselfintoatightspot.
"Oh,Majesty,forgiveme.Illhavethewordsremovedatonce.Andifyoudontlikethepalace,justsayso,andIllhaveittorndowntoo."
"No,no,leaveitthewayitis.Butsinceyouclaimapersonwithmoneycandoanything,proveittome.Illgiveyouthreedaystotrytotalktomydaughter.Ifyoumanagetospeaktoher,wellandgood;youwillmarryher.Ifnot,Illhaveyoubeheaded.Isthatclear?"
Theprincewastoodistressedtoeat,drink,orsleep.Dayandnight,allhethoughtofwashowhemightsavehisneck.Bytheseconddayhewascertainoffailureanddecidedtomakehiswill.Hisplightwashopeless,forthekingsdaughterhadbeenclosedupinacastlesurroundedbyonehundredguards.Paleandlimpasarag,theprincelayonhisbedwaitingtodie,wheninwalkedhisoldnurse,adecrepitoldsoulnowwhohadnursedhimasababyandwhostillworkedforhim.Findinghimsohaggard,theoldwomanaskedwhatwaswrong.Hemmingandhawing,hetoldherthewholestory.
"So?"saidthenurse."Andyouregivingup,likethat?Youmakemelaugh!IllseewhatIcandoaboutallthis!"
Offshewobbledtothefinestsilversmithintownandorderedhimtomakeasolidsilvergoosethatwouldopenandcloseitsbill.Thegoosewastobeasbigasamanandhollowinside."Itmustbereadytomorrow,"sheadded.
"Tomorrow?Yourecrazy!"exclaimedthesilversmith.
"TomorrowIsaid!"Theoldwomanpulledoutapurseofgoldcoinsandcontinued,"Thinkitover.Thisisthedownpayment.Illgiveyoutheresttomorrowwhenyoudeliverthegoose."
Thesilversmithwasdumbfounded."Thatmakesallthedifferenceintheworld,"hesaid."Illdomybesttohavethegoosetomorrow."
Thenextdaythegoosewasready,anditwasabeauty.
Theoldwomansaidtotheprince,"Takeyourviolinandgetinsidethegoose.Pla
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